Stephon Castle isn’t just avoiding the dreaded sophomore slump - he’s evolving, and he’s got a future Hall of Famer to thank for it.
The second-year Spurs guard, who took home Rookie of the Year honors in 2024-25, pointed to his time alongside Chris Paul as a turning point in his development. And while Paul officially announced his retirement after being waived by the Raptors, his impact is still echoing through the league - especially in the mind of Castle.
“What he showed me last year, I feel like it helped me this year,” Castle said. “He was a coach on the floor for us at all times, especially for me.”
That’s not just a compliment - that’s a blueprint.
Paul’s final season may not have ended with a playoff run or a farewell tour, but his influence in San Antonio was significant. He wasn’t there to put up numbers.
He was there to teach. And Castle, one of the league’s brightest young guards, soaked it all in.
The lessons weren’t about flash. Paul didn’t need to show Castle how to score - Castle already had that in his bag.
What Paul passed down was subtler, but even more valuable: how to control tempo, how to read the floor before the defense reacts, how to be in the right spot before the play even develops. The stuff that doesn’t show up in the box score but wins games in April and May.
Pace. Positioning.
Poise. That’s what Chris Paul brought to the table - and it’s what Castle is now carrying forward.
Paul’s legacy will always be defined by his elite court vision, surgical pick-and-roll execution, and relentless competitiveness. But perhaps his most lasting contribution to the game will be the generation of guards he helped mold in the twilight of his career. Castle is one of them - and he’s not just surviving Year 2, he’s thriving in it.
Chris Paul may have played his final NBA minute, but his fingerprints are all over the next wave of floor generals. And if Castle’s growth is any indication, CP3’s influence is far from finished.